A FORTNIGHT AT LA SAINTE BAUME (PROVENCE). 1()3 



curious that the race of jnrtina should be the southern race whilst 

 galathea is certainly not the Mediterranean form. Referring again to 

 the Argynnidae I took one and only one very magnificent Argynnis 

 cydippe (adippe), whilst the four specimens of A. niobe are all of the 

 form eris. lssoria lathonia of course occurred, and I obtained a few 

 Bventhis dia, though they were evidently on the wane. Of the genus 

 Melitaea none were really common, but M. didyma was the most 

 plentiful, and all the females I captured were of the pale form, none 

 at all of the dark or of the green forms. I took one M. dihalia, 

 a few M. cinxia and a few M. phoebe. Limenitis Camilla was 

 generally distributed, but by no means as common as elsewhere. 

 Leptosia sinapis was very abundant and its white summer form diniensis. 

 Gonepteryx (Rhodocera) cleopatra was very plentiful in both sexes, but 

 I only took one male Gonepteryx rhamni, and one large beautiful 

 Colias croceus v. helice was also netted by me. The lavender bushes 

 on the edge of these woods were perhaps the most fruitful locality at 

 least for the Lycaenidae and Zygaenidae, though Polyomwatus dolus 

 was not much attracted to them. The form vittata of this last was by 

 no means so common as the type form without the white stripe below. 

 Polyommatus icarus was common, and flying alongside of it and 

 almost but not quite as plentiful, was P. thersites, at least I have 

 determined them as thersites though I have not yet found time to 

 dissect out the genitalia, but they are evidently the same as my 

 thersites from Italy. Polyommatus coridon was very common and the 

 majority of my long series is of an unusually large size. Lycaenopsis 

 argiolus was rare and showed nothing of the depth of colour that 

 we often get in the second British broods. 



A very pleasant day to the Col Bretagne with Mr. Gurney, 

 produced a nice series of Satyrus cordula, all beautifully fresh, there I 

 also took two fine large females of Papilio podalirius. A few Satyrus 

 semele a nice brightly contrasted form in both' sexes were also captured, 

 but on the other side of the Col a very cold driving wind prevented us 

 getting Zygaena lavandidae as I had hoped to do. I took however a 

 few Pararge megera, larger and brighter than the English race, 

 Argynnis cydippe [adippe) also occurred and Melitaea athalia. On July 

 2nd my wife and I made an excursion to old Nans, 800 feet below us, 

 on a glorious day ; and after we had turned down the steep short cut 

 I captured several Strymonidae that I had not seen before in the 

 locality, also one Ruralis quercus. I took a moderate series of 

 Stri/)iion ilicis, one ab. cerri and two or three Strymon spini. 

 Perhaps the most notable thing on this most brilliant and very hot 

 day was the song of the Cicadas, it went on without a moment's 

 cessation and at times its volume and loudness were remarkable ; at a 

 particular spot there seemed to be one that had a very exceptionally 

 high and loud " note," so much so that I had tried to spot him, there 

 he was at the very end of a branch of a tall fir tree seated right on the 

 tuft of the fir needles, he looked even at that height three or more 

 inches in length, but there was no mistaking him looking in the 

 brilliant sunshine as black as coal, almost like a roll of patent leather. 

 After lunch I wandered up the hill at the back of the Hotel de Lorges, 

 and seeing as I thought a nice Papilio machaon on a flower head I 

 went for it and to my delight found I had netted a perfectly fresh 

 specimen of P. alexanor, this I believe is a new record for this species. 



